City comparison
Akron, OH is about 30 miles (50 km) from Cleveland, OH in a straight line. By road, the drive is roughly 40 miles, or about 36 min behind the wheel at highway speeds.
Driving distance is a rough estimate (great-circle × 1.25); driving time assumes a 60 mph blended average. Real trips run 10–20% longer with stops.
A direct flight from Akron, OH to Cleveland, OH takes about 3 min, covering roughly 30 miles in a straight line. Connecting itineraries with a layover typically add 1–3 hours.
Block-to-block estimate at ~500 mph cruise, including taxi, climb, and descent — what an airline would publish, not pure airborne time.
Cleveland has a population of 370,365, vs 190,273 in Akron — about 1.9× larger by population. By land area, Cleveland covers about 78 sq mi vs 62 sq mi for Akron.
Population from US Census ACS. Land area from the Census Gazetteer (city proper, excluding inland water).
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Akron | Cleveland | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $887/mo | $851/mo | 4.2% higher in Akron |
| Median home value | $99,700 | $87,400 | 14.1% higher in Akron |
| Median household income | $46,596 | $37,271 | 25.0% higher in Akron |
| Groceries index | 93.9 | 93.9 | ≈ equal |
| Utilities index | 96.0 | 95.6 | ≈ equal (Akron slightly higher) |
| Transportation index | 98.8 | 98.8 | ≈ equal |
| Healthcare index | 99.0 | 99.0 | ≈ equal |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Akron, you'd need $100,987 in Cleveland to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Akron, OH is about 1% cheaper overall than Cleveland, OH, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 3% higher in Cleveland than in Akron. If you earn $80,000 in Akron, you'd need about $80,789 in Cleveland to keep the same standard of living.